The Dreamer: The Book of Godspells

CHAPTER THREE

It was late afternoon, so the streets were quiet, and the city was still in work mode. Not for long, but long enough for me to get a fill of isolated recklessness. I knew I was supposed to be back at the Olympus house by dark, and usually I followed that rule. Usually.

But I had to distract myself. I could feel this emptiness forming inside me now that Morry was gone. It had been two weeks now, and even Allen had been asking me during our homeschool sessions what was wrong with me. He kept assuming it was my nightmares, but this time I knew what it was. It was Morry. He was gone. Actually gone and now I had to live with it.

I walked by the Dublin Library and Archive again, and this time I stopped. I knew I never went in, but maybe today was the day. Gathering the courage to try something new on my own for once, I sat on its steps, staring up at its grand gesture and pulled out a cigarette.

Slowly I lit it, took in a deep puff, held it for a moment, then exhaled slowly. I knew what others would think if they saw me smoking. I was not old enough, but I didn't care. I snuck one from Allen's office. He wouldn't notice, but something about not needing to do it made me feel rebellious and more keen to do it. It was a bad habit, sure, but it calmed me no less. Allen did it to calm his nerves, and weren't adults supposed to be the role model here?

"Those can kill you, you know." I jumped, not hearing that anyone had approached.

"So." I reacted, annoyed. I turned and looked up to see who was bothering me. He was a tall, white-haired boy who was about the same age as Morry, if not slightly older. He had sunglasses so dark that I couldn't see his eyes, and so distinct that they couldn't be just to shield himself from the sun. I always thought it odd of people who wore sunglasses when it wasn't sunny out, or at all for that matter. Consistently, the weather was gloomy, cloudy, and overcast in Dublin so very rarely did anyone need sunglasses.

"Can I try?" He asked. I stared at him, almost stunned.

"Didn't you just say these are bad for me?" The boy smiled.

"Hey, you aren't scared, so why should I be?" I thought about it for a second.

"I guess." I mumbled. He nodded but stood where he was.

"Well?"

"Can you hand it to me?" He asked calmly. Just then I noticed he was holding something behind his back.

"Is that a cane?" I asked but stood up all the same. He looked like he was standing perfectly well. In fact, he seemed to look in really good shape. The cane was long, thick, and solid silver. It didn't look like it could hold his weight, but he stood tall all the same. I noticed that carved in it were peacock feathers wrapping around the entire length of the cane, with a hundred eyes staring at me.

He smiled again. His smile seemed cunning, seductive even and something felt familiar about him, but I knew I had never met him before. He was too unique of an individual to not recognize.

"Sort of." He replied. I handed him the cigarette. I felt his stone-cold fingers brush against mine as I handed it off and a sudden rush of tingles went through my body. His cold touch matched the whiteness of his skin tone.

"Is it lit?" He asked. I nodded, confused. He stood waiting, the cigarette between his long fingers.

"Can you not...?" I started to ask, all the pieces coming together. I watched as he carefully took a puff of the cigarette.

"See? I am blind here, yes." He asked, sensing uncertainty in my voice. I watched him take in every sense of the cigarette, but no actual substance.

"You are supposed to inhale." I commented quietly.